Positive start to the new year but immense challenges still remain
Derbyshire Dales MP Sarah Dines has had a busy first few weeks of the new year
IT has been an interesting start to the year. There have been some incredible positives; Brexit was achieved and delivered with a great trade deal, and the Covid vaccination process across Derbyshire Dales is now in full swing.
Yet there are still difficult times ahead. We find ourselves in another full lockdown and again my inbox is full of emails from constituents concerned about what this means for them.
Businesses are understandably concerned about their future and one of my main hopes for this year is that businesses do not merely survive this pandemic but are given the opportunity to thrive when we are on the other side of it.
I have had many businesses contact me, concerned that they have not received their support grants yet, and so last week I had a meeting with the district council to discuss this.
It is an extremely technical operation and, to ensure grants happen as quickly and efficiently as possible, council staff have been redeployed to this task from service areas across the organisation.
I have been assured that they are working through these as fast as possible and, although there have been some delays, the council has already paid out £1.6 million the past two months.
One important issue we covered is that the council is still awaiting applications from several eligible businesses that have not yet been in touch. For example, only half the pubs that received an email from the council about ‘wet-led’ Christmas support payments have responded to date. So please, if you know of any other businesses who are eligible and which have not yet applied for support, encourage them to do so.
Last week I had the honour of visiting the vaccination centre at St Oswald’s Hospital to see for myself the fantastic operation they have there.
I have understandably received large amounts of casework on the vaccine and I felt it was important to see for myself the programme and offer my support.
I found it quite emotional to see people being vaccinated. It really does feel like there is some light at the end of the tunnel. The atmosphere was electric and the team there really are modern-day heroes.
When you think of heroes you maybe think of them in masks and capes fighting to save lives and I cannot help but make the comparison to our NHS S workers in their own masks and d gowns.
The fact is that the vaccination programme could not happen without all the NHS workers, volunteers, scientists and coordinators and my eternal thanks goes out to them.
I also think of some of the unsung heroes of the pandemic: the teachers making sure that children have their lesson plans for remote working; the supermarket workers making sure we can all eat; the community groups checking in on elderly neighbours; the farmers producing food and everyone who works on the front line.
I also want to thank all the essential workers in food haulage, refuse collection, delivery drivers and everyone working for us as a nation as we go forward.
There are too many people to mention individually but they all deserve our thanks and praise.
In Derbyshire Dales, we have a sizeable at-risk population as we have more elderly living here than many of the surrounding areas and I know that for many residents, seeing visitors fill the streets greatly concerns them.
I am urging anyone who does not have to travel to stay at home. We are so lucky to have such a be beautiful area, but I implo implore visitors to stay a away at this time to protect our vulnerable re residents.
As someone who is vocal in singing t the praises of th the tourism in industry in De Derbyshire Dale Dales, I do not say this lightly – but it is abs absolutely necessary.
I have said it before but one positive to come out of this incredibly difficult situation is the sense of community across Derbyshire Dales.
I have received countless emails from residents singing the praises of people across Ashbourne for the help they have given, and I know that as before, the community in Ashbourne and the surrounding area will pull together to get through this.
I found it quite emotional to see people being vaccinated. It feels like there is light at the end of the tunnel